A Day to Remember

Skara goes through the motions everyday, because she's supposed to. Over time, she's developed a routine that she follows to a T.

1. Get out of bed
2. Change into clothes that aren't pajamas
3. Eat breakfast
4. Brush teeth, wash face, and comb tangles out of hair
5. Check email
6. Grab car keys
7. Lock front door
8. Drive

As she travels down the I-5 freeway into downtown, the radio plays softly in the background. She tunes it out in favor of making sure she doesn't miss her exit. She has places to be, people to see, and a job to do. Duty calls, and she has no choice but to respond if she wants to pay back shitty student loans and keep a roof over her head.

(Of course she doesn't want to, no one fucking does, but she has to nonetheless.)

Skara leaves the car in the parking garage, and enters the drab lobby of Coven Inc. People she will never know bustle past her without a second glance - more out of necessity than apathy. She keeps her sunglasses on because the lights inside the building are always too bright.

What she sees doesn't surprise her, because it never changes. Monotone walls, fake plants, polished marble floor, and a receptionist that looks like stale bread. Skara walks past him, keeping her eyes trained on the elevator that will take her to the 7th floor, where her office resides.

She presses the top button with her elbow, never forgetting that one time the button was wet from some unidentifiable substance. She pulls back and watches the display above the elevator change, counting down from:

5

4

3

2

1

The elevator dings, and Skara steps inside. It's empty, and just as the doors begin to close, a voice calls out:

"Wait!"

Skara blinks, and responds automatically. She sticks a hand forward to prevent the doors from closing. The doors bump against her arm, and slide smoothly backwards. She pulls back her arm, and a blur of pink hair rushes in.

"Fuck." The woman sighs, and runs a hand through her loose hair. "I'm late because some douchebag totaled his car speeding on the 405." Her pale blue eyes shift down to meet Skara's. "Thanks."

Skara notes distantly, somewhere in the back of her mind, that she has never seen this person before. She thinks she would remember them.

"Can you get my number?" The woman asks.

Skara feels an unfamiliar heat rise to her face. Her tongue feels heavy in her mouth, and she stumbles over her next words:

"Wh- What?"

The woman raises an eyebrow.

"My number." Her eyes flicker over to the panel of buttons next to Skara. "I need to get to the 6th floor."

"Oh." Skara swallows the lump in her throat, and nods stiffly. "Right. Of course."

She presses the button, and leans back on her heels, doing her best to not stare at the woman across from her. She fails, though she never put up much of a resistance to begin with.

The woman is wearing a pressed grey suit, red lipstick, and black flats. Her clothing couldn't be any more plain or normal. But the woman herself is anything but. Her eyes are cool blue, steeled with something hard underneath as they focus on the doors. The way she carries herself is relaxed and confident, leaning against the wall with a neutral expression.

Skara feels a tug in her stomach, urging her to do something, say something. Break the cycle.

The words escape her mouth, asking a question she genuinely doesn't know the answer to.

"What day is it today?"

The woman swivels her head towards her, and scoffs.

"April 21st." She cocks her head. "Why? You got a date or something?"

Skara opens her mouth to respond: No, I don't - because I'm single. Are you single? - but the elevator dings, interrupting her before she can say anything. The doors hiss open, and something flickers across the woman's eyes - disappointment?

Skara watches her turn away and exit the elevator. The doors begin to slide shut, and she knows her time is running out. The prospect of missed opportunity doesn't sit right with her, not anymore. All semblance of caution thrown to the wind, her voice cracks as she calls out:

"Wait!"

The woman pauses, and Skara steps out of the elevator, into unknown territory. She knows she will be late to her 9:00AM team meeting, but thinks that this chance is worth it.

"I don't have a date."

The woman turns around slowly, and through Skara's sunglasses she can see a small, smug smile playing at the corner of her lips.

"Oh?"

Her voice is teasing, and Skara thinks that this stranger has a bigger ego than initially surmised.

"Yeah." Skara steps closer, closing the distance between them and battling her nerves. "But if you're free after work, I can change that."

The woman breaks into a full on grin, and digs into her pocket.

"I'm free." She pulls out a pen. "Give me your hand."

Skara doesn't hesitate to extend her arm, and the woman quickly scrawls out something across her palm. Once done, the woman clicks her pen and pockets it.

"As much as I'd love to stick around, I really have to get going now." She backsteps, and throws Skara a wink for good measure. "I'll see you later."

Skara nods dumbly, and watches as the woman disappears around the corner of the hall. Once she's out of sight, Skara pumps her arm in victory and hurries back into the elevator. She presses the button for her floor and when the doors close, she finally looks down at her palm.

Boscha

818-133-2923

The ink on her skin is new and unfamiliar, but she can work with that.